Royal Pains
by MeilinII
Summary: Sora's gone back to Destiny Islands to see Riku, to take him back to the castle. It isn't long before they both get caught up in another of their crazy quests.... Mildly Angsty, ShonnenAi, SoRiku
1. A Friend In Need

7

Created by Meilin

Meilin: I HAVE INSPIRATION!

Edward: I'm not even in this fic, why am I here?

Meilin: Because you're my muse!

Edward: Why am I your muse?

Meilin: Because I said so! Big thanks to my Word class that gave me time to type this fic that's been writing itself in my head. DUO! Read the Disclaimer!

Duo: Meilin does not own Sora, Riku, or Kingdom Hearts; they belong to Tetsuya Nomura, even if she DOES own parts of Disney and Squaresoft.

Meilin: SEE? STOCKS **_DO_** HAVE A USE!

Warning: Shonen-Ai, SoRiku, Kairi-bashing,

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Riku was sitting on the paopu tree, waiting for Sora to show up. 'He better not stand me up again.' He thought. Soon enough, Sora climbed up the ladder to the island. "Sorry I'm late." He sat next to Riku on the paopu tree, "Kairi wouldn't leave me alone."

"You still haven't told her yet, have you?" said Riku, frowning, "That you don't like her, that you CAN'T like her." Sora looked away. "I don't want to hurt her, Riku; we were all such good friends." Riku looked at Sora. "Precisely. WERE. Does she even know that you still talk to me?" he asked his brown-haired friend.

"Ummm….. No?" said Sora sheepishly. Riku ruffled Sora's hair affectionately. "You bonehead." He laughed, "And to think half the worlds depend on your leadership…"

"You mean my non-existent diplomatic abilities?" Laughed the brunette. "Exactly. Why Mickey chose you over ANYONE makes me wonder if all those years of fighting the darkness made him crazy." Said Riku, who laughed as he thought of his old, rather quirky traveling companion. "Funny, he said something to that effect about you…" muttered Sora. The two old friends were glad to finally have some time together, having been separated longer than they cared to remember.

"Hey Sora?" said Riku, "What's it like?" Sora blinked. "What's what like?" Riku sighed. "Being light. Being able to travel the worlds. Being you."

Now it was Sora's turn to sigh. "You could travel too, you know, Riku. You're not dark…"

"But neither am I light. I could only travel with someone else, or the walls of worlds would eat away at half my soul. But it's nothing I don't deserve…"

"Don't say that!" Sora yelled, "You didn't do anything wrong…"

"You're very kind, Sora." Said Riku quietly, "But the fact remains that everything you, me, and Kairi suffered was almost entirely my fault. I opened the door to darkness of my own free will, and I suffered the repercussions of my stupidity over and over again."

"Riku…" Sora began, "Fate cannot be changed. If you hadn't opened the door to darkness, the heartless would have come later, and by then, we would have been too late to save the worlds, kingdom hearts, our islands, or each other."

"You act as though I still deserve to be cared about by anyone. Kairi, they villagers, even my own parents, they don't want anything to do with another darkling. None of them care about me, no one does." Riku said.

"I do."

Riku looked up, not daring to believe what he had heard. "Sora?" he asked.

"I care about you." Said Sora with tears in his eyes, "Am I no one, too?

"Of… Of course not." He stammered.

"Then don't you EVER say that no one cares about you. Never again." Sora said, "You're as important as the Sun, the Moon, the Earth, the Sky, the Heavens, the Hells, and don't you EVER forget it."

"Sora…" Riku wanted to tell him. To tell Sora how much he meant to him, but at that moment, he couldn't find the words. He just looked at those eyes, the same deep blue as the ocean that surrounded their home world, and he felt like he would melt into them if forced to stare for to long.

"Riku…" Sora felt whole again at that moment, as he hadn't since they had left the Destiny Islands in search of adventure all those years ago. He wondered, could Riku feel the same way he did?

"Sora… I… I'm sorry." Riku said as he ran from the Paopu Island and into the Secret Place. "Che. We were so original with the name of this place. But this is where it all began." He thought about when he first came to this place; when he first set eyes on the door to other worlds. He had been young then, in body and in spirit, and he had dreamed of amazing adventures with Sora at his side. He thought about a few years ago, when he had foolishly believed himself strong, and opened this same door, summoning the heartless and nearly destroying the islands and all their inhabitants for good. He wondered, was he any better for it? Had he gotten anything from it? Sora seemed to think so. Riku wondered, was Sora pulling his leg about caring for him? He had to be, didn't he? How could the king love… a darkling? "No!" Riku told himself aloud, "I am not a heartless! I am a heartless human, but I am thus. I promised Mickey. I won't let my humanity leave me, too."

He heard a noise behind him. He turned to see Sora walking slowly toward him. As far as the king was, Riku could see the tears streaming down his cheeks in rivers.

"Sora…" Riku began.

"Come with me." Said Sora.

"What?" Riku asked.

"Come with me. Away. Please?"

"Where? Why? How? I… I mean…"

"I don't care. I just want you with me. Please?"

"But… I can't…"

"YES YOU CAN! I believe in you."

Riku hesitated for a moment. "Okay, but where will we go?"

Sora smiled sadly. "We'll go home."

"Sora, we ARE home." Riku protested.

"How can either of us be home HERE after what we did? After what we saw? Knowing what we know?"

"Sora, I know you're lying. When we got back here, I had never been so relieved to hear the oceans waves, and I know you felt the same."

"Maybe then, when I thought they could accept us with what we had become. When I thought Kairi could forgive you for what you did, but not now. This place isn't home to us… It never was. It's a prison, just as you said." He sighed. "You were right… You were always right."

Riku looked at Sora. 'This is so unlike him, it's scary.' "Sora… You can't mean that…"

"Of COURSE I can." He yelled, "Gods, Riku, don't you get it? I don't want you to live here for the same reasons why I LEFT!"

"Sora… I thought you left because Mickey asked you to..."

"That was just an excuse. My parents... And everyone... Treated me differently when they found out what I could do... The mayor saw me as a threat to the peace... So I begged Mickey for a reason to leave..."

"But Sora... Why?" Riku asked.

"Because I'm growing tired of the sound of whispers, as I grew tired of the sound of screams and the feeling of heartless blood. But... I don't want to be alone... I'm scared of what might happen... So I want you with me."

"Why me?"

Sora moved closer to Riku. "Because I do... Is that enough?"

Riku smiled. "Sure, Sora. From you, that's all I need."

-----------------------------------------------END CHAPPIE!-------------------------------------

Meilin: BWAHAHAHA! I AM GOOD!

Edward: Oh boy, why must the reviewers send her sugar?

Meilin: Review and I'll update the pretty yaoi ficcie! PLEASE!

Edward: Please, or it's me and Duo who suffer the consequences...

Duo: Whiney voice I don't wanna have to deal with her chocolate craving during another 'No one likes me' rant, Edward!

Edward: Me either.

Duo and Ed: PLEASE REVIEW HER!


	2. Home Again, and New Allies?

Meilin: HA-HA! I GOTS REVIEWERS!

Ed: yeah, your friends.

Meilin: Nu-uh! I gots other reviewers too! Lookies! shows reviews

Ed: First time for everything I guess.

Meilin: Jerk. And guess what?

Ed: What?

Duo: Hide Ed, it's not good.

Meilin: SOMEONE SENT ME b u **COOKIES** /u /b****!

Ed: WHAT?

Duo: That's nothing, people sent brownies, candy, chocolate, ice cream, and some one even sent a bag of sugar! YY

Ed: TT

Meilin: This chappie is for the wonderful reviewers! Sorry about my mistake uploading last time, I forgot I'd started chapter 2!

--------------------------Chapter 2: Home Again, and New Allies?---------------------------

"Sora, where will we go?" Riku asked him.

Sora hugged him. "I don't care. Traverse Town, Disney Castle, anywhere if you'll come with me."

Riku smiled at his brown-haired friend. "Let's go see Mickey."

Sora laughed. "Lets go home." He said, dragging Riku to the Gummi Ship Sora kept hidden in the cove.

---------------------------------------------Disney Castle--------------------------------------------

Sora parked the Gummi Ship and waved to Chip and Dale. "I'm back!"

"Welcome home, Your Highness." the two chorused.

"I've brought a friend!"

Riku stepped out of the ship and the two immediately started chattering. "King Mickey will be so surprised to see you!" Chip called.

"He'd been hoping you'd visit us!" Dale added.

"He'd been hoping for a very long time!" Chip remarked.

Riku laughed. "They're certainly more accepting than the islanders were."

Sora smiled. "They ARE Mickey's subjects after all, just like Donald and Goofy."

"I remember those boneheads..." Riku laughed.

"Yeah. They're still around you know."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah. We'll probably see them eventually."

Riku sweatdropped. "Why do I get the feeling they won't be overly enthusiastic at my coming with you?"

Sora gave Riku a look. "Why wouldn't they be? The past is the past, Riku."

"Perhaps. But some scars never fade."

"Must you be such a pessimist?"

"Must you be such an optimist? I'm a realist, Sora, that's who I am."

"No, that's who you think you've become."

The two glared at each other for a moment, before Riku burst out laughing. "You still can't glare at all, Sora." Riku said.

"CAN TOO!"

"Can not. You don't glare any better now than you did before. You still look like a little kid, it's comical."

"I do NOT look like a little kid!"

"Yes you do."

"DO NOT!"

"And you act like one, too."

"I DO NOT!"

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Sora and Riku walked into the elaborately decorated throne room. The two already insider jumped from the seats and kneeled immediately. Sora smiled. "How many times mush I tell you that you don't have to do that?" Sora asked.

The girl looked up. "Forgive us, Your Highness." She had long back hair, and even partially in buns it nearly reached the floor when she stood. She wasn't very tall, about five feet, and she wore flowing robes in white and yellow, embroidered with a large Yin-Yang on the front.

The boy stood as well. "Can't help it. Old habits, Y'know Sora?" He had short, spiky blond hair, and wore a white jacket over black clothes, and there was a charm around his neck. (((AN: You know it, It's the one and only Nameless Blonde Haired Kid form KH2. For this fic, I'M GONNA NAME HIM!)))

Sora smiled. "Riku, I'd like you to meet my advisors. Meilin and Zack. Guys, this is my old friend, Riku."

Meilin looked the taller boy up and down. "This is Riku hm? Nice to meet 'cha." She said, holding out her hand.

"You to." Riku said, shaking her hand, then Zacks.

Mickey walked into the room somberly. He looked at Sora, then Meilin, then Zack and Riku. He didn't seemed surprised to see Riku there at all. He only spoke one word… One word to fill them all with dread. "Heartless."

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Meilin: That ends that chapter. The plot will become crystal clear next time, on Royal Pains Chapter Three: The Plot Thickens.

Zack: She won't update until she gets another review!

Meilin: Blinks What are you doing here?

Zack: I came as the voice of the reviewers who said you better update quick!


	3. The Plot Thickens

Meilin: YEAH! _Does the I got reviewers Dance_

Zack: Yeah. More than one. So you need to write the ficcie!

Meilin: Yeah yeah…... I know. Sasuke! Disclaimer!

Sasuke:_ Grumbles _Meilin owns nothing from Kingdom Hearts. She owns this fic idea, Meilin and Zack's Name and Personality.

Meilin: _Glares _AND?

Suasuke: I will not read this.

Ed: _Takes disclaimer_ And the souls of her muses? You don't own my soul!

Meilin: _forces Ed to kill Winry_

Ed: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Meilin: ON WITH THE FIC! But first, responses….. I HEART REVIEWERS!

desperateforU2update: Here you go! And no I haven't, but I will now!

the-kiss-of-oblivion: Because I like yaoi, that's why.

Lilac: Thankies!Sugar+ Caffine Fic is my formula.

SamMan: I always was bad at showing plots first chapter... I'm very gradual.

Alias Adrianna: Yes, Chocolate makes story come fast! Ironic, my sister made brownies for me to make me write another fic today too...

forgotten-rose-b , Yuffiegal23, SmurtAlec, THANKS FOR REVIEWS

and if you guys want a hint at the ending of this story, i'd like ou to mull over JK Rowling quote in my profile.

--------------------------------------------The Plot Thickens--------------------------------------

Meilin scowled. "Wha'd you mean Heartless?" she demended.

Mickey sighed. "Just that. The Door to Kingdom Hearts wasn't sealed completely. We only had Present and Light there. We lacked the keys of Twilight, Dark and In-Between."

Meilin blinked. "You're saying that... ALL the keyweilders have to be present at the same time to seal a keyhole completely?" she asked in shock. "As in ALL of us? That's insane!"

Zack nodded in agreement. "Yeah. It was insane enough, with all of us sealing separate worlds!"

Riku blinked. "Someone wanna explain what the hell is going on?"

Sora sighed. "You know... That there's more than one keyblade in this world, right Riku?"

"Yeah..."

"Well... It takes all of them together to seal a keyhole permanently."

"WHAT!"

Meilin sighed. "Meaning, You, Me, Zack, Sora and Mickey all have to seal all those worlds all over again, and now we don't have a way of finding Kingdom Hearts."

Riku blinked. "Wait a minute... You two have keyblades?"

Meilin nodded, and pulled hers seemingly from nowhere. It was similar to the Oathkeeper, but little white flowers were entwined around the blade. It was a deep red in color, and the blade was shaped like a crescent moon, the points and the blade.

Zack pulled both of his out as well, the Oathkeeper and the Oblivion, but their coloring had been switched.

Riku stared. "And what does this have to do with me?"

Mickey smiled kindly. "It's can't be coencidence that you showed up now. You've proven to be capable of weilding a keyblade yourself, haven't you?" he asked.

Riku nodded. "But Sora proved worthier."

Mickey smiled. "Come with me." he said to the others.

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Mickey had taken them to a vault deep below the castle grounds. Surprisingly, it wasn't the least bit dark or dreary, but instead bright blue and pink, with an out-of-place looking black door in front of them.

Mickey looked at Riku. "Open it." he demanded.

Riku blinked. "Why me?"

"The object within is destined only for the one with the ability to open this door. None of us can. Trust me, we've all tried." Mickey said.

Riku blinked. "Then why should I be able to?"

Sora shoved his friend. "Just try it, Riku." he said.

Riku nodded. He looked up at the brass handle, hesitated and slowly grabbed it. He pulled it as hard as he could, and the door flew open! The force inside the room dragged Riku headfirst into the most gorgeous room he'd ever seen. It's black walls were painted with symbols of gold and bronze, and red curtains hung from every corner. But it was the object in the center of the room that made Riku's breath catch. Sitting there, on a cushion that looked to be made of finest velvet, was a keyblade. Jet black, it was fitting somehow, in this room. The handle was dark, but the keychain was a bronze heart that stuck out somehow against the cobalt of the blade. It was intricately crafted, the blade appearing to be of a Crescent Moon, with the outer curve as the blade. Even from where he stood Riku could see the slight glimmer that told of how sharp it was.

He stepped forwards, and grabed the blade with his right hand. The room seemed to disappate, and then he stood, exactly in the spot he was at when Sora had shoved him, but in the dark coat he had worn outside castle oblivion, and carrying the magnificent keyblade.

Zack took a look at it. "Cool."

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Meilin: Short I know, but i'm suffering fomr writers block!

Duo: On all 18 stories?

Meilin: YES DARNIT! ALL OF THEM! I wrote this chapter because my reviewers are so wonderful...

Zack: _sighs_ You'd best update soon then.

Meilin: ANYTHING FOR REVIEWERS!


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